Old Trafford, opened on 19 February 1910, was first laid out by Archibald Leitch and was a basic rectangle with curved corners and a multi-span stand. By the late 1920s the ground appeared dated and the only construction work carried out before World War II was a cover on the United Road Side. Old Trafford suffered serious bomb damage on 11 March 1941 and had to share Maine Road for the next eight years. United returned home in August 1949 with a seated, but uncovered Main Stand, flanked by two corner roofs which had survived. As the materials became available the roof was completed in 1950-1. In 1959, the pitched roof in the south west corner was extended to cover the Stretford End and in 1962 1,500 seats were added to the rear. With Old Trafford due to stage three games during the 1966 World Cup the United Road terrace was replaced by a ultra-modern, two-tiered cantilevered stand. This provided 10,000 seats plus space for 10,000 standing spectators and was the first phase in United's masterplan for the ground. In 1973 the United Road Stand was continued around the Scoreboard End resulting in a fully covered Old Trafford. With the introduction of an Executive Suite at the rear of the Main Stand in 1975, its central section of roof was replaced with a cantilevered section to afford better views from the rear. The cantilevered roof was extended to the full length of the stand in 1984 with the south east corner section completed by August 1985. The final conversion of Old Trafford to an all-seat stadium began in the summer of 1990 when the United Road terrace was converted to 3,800 seats. In 1992-3 the Stretford End and south west corner was replaced with a new all-seat West Stand whilst in 1995 work started on a new three tier North Stand which gave Old Trafford a capacity of over 55,000 when completed in summer 1996. In 1999 work started to add an extra tier to the East Stand which was followed in 2000 by an extra tier on the West (Stretford End) Stand.

Old Trafford. Home of Manchester United FC. Original stadium built 1909, by Brameld and Smith of Manchester, under the supervision of Archibald Leitch. Severely damaged in the second World War and largely rebuilt up to the present day. Parts of the building survive at the base of the Main Stand. (2)

Old Trafford, opened on 19 February 1910, was first laid out by Archibald Leitch and was a basic rectangle with curved corners and a multi-span stand. By the late 1920s the ground appeared dated and the only construction work carried out before World War II was a cover on the United Road Side. Old Trafford suffered serious bomb damage on 11 March 1941 and had to share Maine Road for the next eight years. United returned home in August 1949 with a seated, but uncovered Main Stand, flanked by two corner roofs which had survived. As the materials became available the roof was completed in 1950-1. In 1959, the pitched roof in the south west corner was extended to cover the Stretford End and in 1962 1,500 seats were added to the rear. With Old Trafford due to stage three games during the 1966 World Cup the United Road terrace was replaced by a ultra-modern, two-tiered cantilevered stand. This provided 10,000 seats plus space for 10,000 standing spectators and was the first phase in United's masterplan for the ground. In 1973 the United Road Stand was continued around the Scoreboard End resulting in a fully covered Old Trafford. With the introduction of an Executive Suite at the rear of the Main Stand in 1975, its central section of roof was replaced with a cantilevered section to afford better views from the rear. The cantilevered roof was extended to the full length of the stand in 1984 with the south east corner section completed by August 1985. The final conversion of Old Trafford to an all-seat stadium began in the summer of 1990 when the United Road terrace was converted to 3,800 seats. In 1992-3 the Stretford End and south west corner was replaced with a new all-seat West Stand whilst in 1995 work started on a new three tier North Stand which gave Old Trafford a capacity of over 55,000 when completed in summer 1996. In 1999 work started to add an extra tier to the East Stand which was followed in 2000 by an extra tier on the West (Stretford End) Stand. (1-7)

SOURCE TEXT

(1) Ordnance Survey Map (Scale / Date)

OS 1:10000 1980

(2) General reference

Inglis S. 1991. The Football Grounds of Great Britain, 57-61

(3) Simon Inglis 1996 Football grounds of Britain

Page(s)234-41

(4) Aerial photograph

3G/TUD/UK/195 5216 10-MAY-1946

(5) Aerial photograph

OS/88277 148 01-OCT-1988

(6) Simon Inglis 2004 Played in Manchester : the architectural heritage of a city at play